


The steps we take

by Silvermoonphantom (Daitoshi)



Category: Original Work
Genre: Collection of non-fanfiction, Gen, Hunting, POV First Person
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-27
Updated: 2016-12-27
Packaged: 2018-09-12 15:54:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,429
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9079438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daitoshi/pseuds/Silvermoonphantom
Summary: A collection of original stories. (I can't always write fanfiction) Chapter 1: The Hunted





	

It started one peaceful morning. 

 

I had been taking a stroll through the forest, carefully picking my way between low-hanging branches and scattered leaves. Fog blanketed the undergrowth, but I was at home in these woods, and the landscape was familiar despite limited visibility. 

 

I clambered over the dry carcass of a tree that had long ago been uprooted by a storm. Something prickled the hair on the back of my neck and I paused to look around. I couldn’t hear anything - the early morning birds were chirping as normal, and there wasn’t enough wind to disturb the fog around me. 

 

But- there was something. I felt like I was being watched by *something.* I swallowed, shaking off the feeling and jumping down from the tree, walking perhaps a bit quicker along my usual path. It would loop around, and wasn’t that long. 

 

I heard the rustle of leaves behind me and nearly jumped out of my skin, breaking branches as I startled around, wide eyes looking for the source. If I knew what it was, I could figure out what to do. If it was a predator, I could run. If it was something small, I could drive it off, or ignore it. But- nothing. 

 

No, not nothing.

 

I couldn’t see movement - only the echo of movement, where air had been disturbed by *something* and fog swirled a bit more than it rightly should have. It was small, but enough to send fear shooting through my veins. I couldn’t move, heart pounding in my chest, limbs frozen by some instinctual voice that said “if you don’t move, it can’t see you.”

 

I stood there for what felt like ages, muscles locking up as my eyes searched for the origin of the crunch of leaves, ears straining for any hint of another living creature. I was almost ready to brush it off as an overactive imagination when I heard it - the soft crackle of leaves bearing weight. 

 

My heart jumped, and alarms started lighting up in my brain as the figure lurched slowly out from behind the tree. 

 

I couldn’t move. 

 

Too-small eyes pinned me in place. Long, unnaturally proportioned limbs twitched to support its ungainly, off-balanced weight. It’s mouth spread open, teeth glistening in ready anticipation. It was tall, and slim, with a short neck and spindly arms dangling stiffly in front of it. 

 

I couldn’t move. 

 

It pushed toward me, the movement looking like it was about to fall over at any moment, but the too-thick legs somehow caught it every time.  Its form was hard to focus on; pale, spongy skin sinking in and out of sight. If it had been hiding, was it hunting me?

 

A stick snapped under one of its feet.

 

I bolted. 

 

I wanted to scream, but fear kept my voice lodged in my throat, face and chest whipped by leaves and branches as I ran. I could hear it rushing behind me, tearing through the underbrush like the forest itself was reaching to pull away the unnatural thing. 

I realized with a burst of clarity that it was falling behind - I was faster! With hope blooming, I put on speed, sucking in air as I sprinted the hell out of there. My feet were nimble, mind clear. A jump neatly cleared a fallen tree limb in my path. My heart pounded with exhilaration and exertion. I could see the edge of the forest - bright light signaling a clear shot toward home. 

 

I was almost safe! I was- !!! 

 

I yelped, stumbling and scrabbling at the ground as another monster lunged at me from behind a tree. (was it the same monster?) It shrieked a high-pitched, warbling noise that crawled under my skin, its body advancing too fast for the flailing, awkward limbs. How was something like that even real?!? Why was it hunting me?! 

 

I finally dug my feet into the ground and launched away from it, thanking every god I knew of that I was in decent shape. The sprinting was taking a toll, but if I could reach the forest break, at least I’d be able to see them coming. The idea of being hunted was clearer in my mind, and I tried hard not to panic. I didn’t have any weapons on me - I had no claws, and my teeth were a laughable defense. I didn’t want to entertain the thought of capture, so I ran. I pushed myself up a steep hill, curving around that familiar bunch of trees and back toward the light. 

 

I finally scooted out into the meadow, lungs burning from exertion. I finally slowed to a stop, twisting my head around and turning as I gasped for breath. Something rustled in the long grass. 

 

No. 

 

No no no no no. 

 

Spongy, diseased-looking flesh rose up from golden stalks, barely a dozen steps away. It was still hard to focus on, the edges  blurring as part of the grass seemed to rise up with it, connected to its flesh in strange, spiky tufts. I vaguely wondered if it traveled by melding with the ground. I ran. 

 

I pounded the ground as I fled, less fleet of foot - less nimble. My head was starting to spin from lack of oxygen. My throat was dry from sucking in deep breaths. My heart pounded painfully in my chest. I was too hot, body burning up from the pace I was putting it through.  I needed a place to rest. I needed to get home. Why had I even left the path, I could have followed it- 

 

Another chattering warble to my right, and I leaned my body into the turn, breath whistling through my nose as I tried to swallow and wet my throat. The building terror had reached its peak, as I began to realize I could not outrun them. (it?) 

 

I stumbled. 

 

I slowed to a fast walk, and I could hear the rustle-crunch of something barreling through the grass behind me. 

 

Fuck. 

 

I pushed myself to fast jog, blinking hard and fighting against exhaustion as my fear-fueled adrenaline started to drain away, replaced with a cold realization.

 

They were herding me. 

 

I could see another one of them loping at me from the right. I couldn’t help my jump when it opened its mouth and cackled. I sprinted for a few labored leaps, before falling back to a fast walk, head ducked as I tried to suck in enough air. My heart felt like it was about to give out, and the world felt like I was viewing it from a long ways away. 

 

I felt a sharp pain in my back, and shrieked, kicking out at the creature that was suddenly just beside me, breath hot on my neck, a claw digging deep into my flesh. It fell back, but there was another to take its place, twitchy limbs reaching out for me. 

 

Exhaustion and pain had made my legs weak, movements sluggish. My throat felt like it was filled with thorns, lungs shuddering as they failed to bring enough oxygen to my overworked body. They followed leisurely as I staggered away, my own breathless sobs sending pain shooting from the wound on my back. Desperation and fear swarmed my brain, but I could do nothing against the weakness in my own body. I just… couldn’t get my legs to move any longer. 

 

I stumbled. 

 

They were on me in an instant, one perching on my trembling legs to pin them down. Another shoved my head painfully into the grass, pulling my chin up to bare my throat. The position hurt my neck, and made it harder to breathe. 

 

I whimpered between heaving pants, impotently wriggling my useless limbs. The one clinging to my head started churring soft little sounds, petting my cheek like it was trying to comfort me. 

 

They were going to kill me. 

 

I flinched, and quieted. 

 

I could feel a long claw digging between my ribs, sliding onto muscle and past bone. My heart pounded painfully. 

 

And then didn’t. 

 

\----

 

The men rose from their prey, solemnly going through the ritual appreciation of an animal who had given its life so they may live. They shed their camouflage, brushing sticks and grass out of their hair and off their clothes. One took a quick swig of water from a leather bottle, passing it to his friend. 

 

Humans are the best endurance runners on the planet. It probably didn’t hurt that they could hunt in packs, and endurance wasn’t even required if you could get your prey to scare itself into exhaustion. 

  
  
  
  
  



End file.
